Scary Red Sox collision leaves Tyler O’Neill bloody, puts Rafael Devers at risk

In the top of the seventh inning in a sunny Patriots' Day matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Guardians, Estevan Florial lifted a high pop-up to shallow left field.

Rafael Devers and Ceddanne Rafaela backpedaled while Tyler O'Neill closed in behind them. It was unclear who would make the catch as the ball began to fall back towards the ground.

Devers got to it first and he closed his glove around the ball. Just as he did, O'Neill reached the spot where Devers made the play and the two players collided. Their heads cracked together, the back of Devers' head made contact with O'Neill's forehead, and both fell to the ground.

They both stayed on the ground with their faces covered for what felt like an eternity. Trainers sprinted to the players and met them in shallow left field. When O'Neill raised his head, his forehead was slicked with blood.

Tyler O'Neill exits Red Sox Patriots' Day game after scary collision with Rafael Devers

O'Neill and Devers stayed on the ground after the trainers arrived and the Red Sox broadcast pondered the outcomes for the players. One thing's for sure, Boston's lineup can't afford many more injuries — the bench is already thin as it is.

Trainers escorted the players off the field after the collision and O'Neill was pulled from the game. Devers stayed in after the play as he showed no signs of external damage. The third baseman has been grappling with a shoulder injury he's had since spring training, which gave Red Sox fans extra cause for concern in the aftermath of the accident.

Manager Alex Cora said in the postgame press conference that O'Neill received eight stitches for the gash in his face he will undergo concussion protocol. Cora expects Devers to be back in the lineup on April 16 for Boston's second matchup against the Guardians.

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